Many of the attendees came to this retreat feeling depleted of many things. Depleted of strength; depleted of joy; depleted of energy; and depleted of passion. But it’s one thing to be depleted, and another thing to be defeated. From a state of depletion, there is always hope for refill. Even when it feels like you’ve emptied your whole cup, you can rely on the Lord to provide a new portion. Choosing defeat is much more dangerous place to be. Choosing defeat is to choose hopelessness—almost as if you have turned your cup upside down so that even if someone were willing to pour in and fill, you cup would not fill. These women know something that many of us don’t yet fully understand. They are confident that they can deplete themselves of their entire portion daily because they know that by morning, their cup will be full again. Truly, they know and trust the God that they serve.

Everybody hurts. Everybody needs. Everybody is working on something. Everybody is learning to forgive. Everybody is letting go, and everybody has wondered why it had to happen to them. It is the mystery of God that says through all that we do, “you are the one that I want for this”.

It’s okay to need. Shelly, our wonderful speaker, reminded us that we ought to stop beating ourselves up for needing, because God built need right into us. It’s okay to need. It is okay to be in pieces. One of the wonderful stories that was shared this week was about a woman who served in the deep jungles of Peru. She said, “If my life is broken when given to Jesus, it is because pieces will feed a multitude, while a loaf will satisfy only a little lad.” You life may feel like it is in many, many tiny pieces, but the Lord can pick up one small piece and say “I can use that!”

Learn to be content with needing, knowing that our Heavenly Father gives great gifts. Be alert to the enemy’s schemes and alert to the Lord’s purposes. Each woman left the retreat satisfied with their need because they knew that by morning, their cup would be full.